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A coroner is set to decide whether the inquest into the death of schoolgirl Alice Gross should investigate wider questions around what authorities knew – or ought to have known – about her murderer.

Liberty, which is representing the 14-year-old's family, has made submissions to the coroner that the case engages Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, enshrined into UK law in the Human Rights Act.

Arnis Zalkalns – a builder from Latvia who had come to the UK in 2007 – had been named as a suspect in her disappearance, but his body was later found hanging in woodland nearby. No-one else has been named as wanted in connection with Alice’s death.

Zalkans had previously been convicted of the murder of his wife in Latvia. He had been imprisoned, but was released and travelled to the UK.

It appears the British authorities were not aware of his conviction. In 2009, he was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault on a teenage girl in London, but charges were not brought and he was released.

Questions need answering

Liberty said Alice’s family want to know how it can be that – within EU member states – basic information-sharing cannot be arranged to ensure authorities are notified of the presence of people who pose a potentially high risk to the public.

The family is aware that a system appears to exist for extracting information about foreign nationals from their home country if they are arrested in the UK, and wishes to know why – when Zalkalns was arrested in 2009 – further enquiries were not made of Latvian authorities.

In the UK, a convicted murderer, if released, would be on licence for the rest of his or her life – meaning they could be recalled to prison if considered to pose an increased risk to the public.

Liberty's Emma Norton, solicitor for Alice’s family, said: “What happened to Alice appears to have come about, in part, because the authorities knew nothing about this man.

"Alice’s family want to know why this was the case. Did an information-sharing system break down? Does it even exist? Whatever the answer, they want to do something about it.

"It is only if the coroner rules that Article 2 is engaged that this will be possible."

In a statement, Alice’s family said: “Losing Alice has left a hole in our lives that can never be filled. But our questions about why the authorities knew nothing about her murderer, despite his previous conviction and arrest, can and should be answered. We hope the coroner will agree.

“We believe in freedom of movement and human rights, as did Alice, and we repeat our request that her death not be appropriated by those with an anti-immigration agenda.

"We live in a multicultural and multifaith area, and our community has been extraordinary in its unity, sympathy, compassion and support for our family since our daughter was taken from us in this brutal and senseless way.”